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Abstract:

An apparatus for pressure testing a plumbing installation includes a
flexible cylindrical body having a peripheral sidewall, a closed end and
an open end. A positioning flange extends outwardly from the peripheral
sidewall at the open end to facilitate positioning cylindrical body with
an end of a pipe into which the cylindrical body has been inserted. An
end wall is positioned at the closed end that is. The end wall is curved
inwardly and has an inward cylindrical flow channel closed by a partially
removable plug. A gripping strip is secured to the partially removable
plug that closes an inward cylindrical plug and extends through and past
the open end of the cylindrical body, such that upon a force being
exerting upon the gripping strip the plug lifts to open the cylindrical
flow channel and upon a force continuing to be exerted upon the gripping
strip the cylindrical body rolls inside out thereby enabling the
cylindrical body to be removed from the pipe.

Claims:

1. An apparatus for pressure testing a plumbing installation, comprising:a
flexible cylindrical body having a peripheral sidewall, a closed end, and
an open end;a positioning flange extending outwardly from the peripheral
sidewall at the open end to facilitate positioning the cylindrical body
within an end of a pipe into which the cylindrical body has been
inserted;an end wall at the closed end, the end wall being curved
inwardly where the end wall connects to the peripheral sidewall and
having an inward cylindrical flow channel closed by a partially removable
plug; anda gripping strip secured to the partially removable plug and
extending through and past the open end of the cylindrical body, such
that upon a force being exerted upon the gripping strip the partially
removable plug lifts to open the cylindrical flow channel, and upon a
force continuing to be exerted upon the gripping strip the cylindrical
body rolls inside out thereby enabling the cylindrical body to be removed
from the pipe.

Description:

FIELD

[0001]Pressure testing of plumbing installations to check for leaks.

BACKGROUND

[0002]U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,183 (Huber) discloses a dome shaped baffle
structure that is held in position within a pipe by an annular baffle
carriage. A line is attached to a lug positioned on a concave surface of
the dome shaped baffle. Upon a force being exerted upon a lug, the dome
shaped baffle collapses and is released from the baffle carriage.

SUMMARY

[0003]There is provided an apparatus for pressure testing a plumbing
installation, comprising a flexible cylindrical body having a peripheral
sidewall, a closed end and an open end. A positioning flange extends
outwardly from the peripheral sidewall at the open end to facilitate
positioning the cylindrical body within an end of a pipe into which the
cylindrical body has been inserted. An end wall is positioned at the
closed end. The end wall is curved inwardly where the end wall connects
to the peripheral sidewall and having an inward cylindrical flow channel
closed by a partially removable plug. A gripping strip is secured to the
partially removable plug and extends through and past the open end of the
cylindrical body, such that upon a force being exerting upon the gripping
strip the partially removable plug lifts to open the cylindrical flow
channel and upon a force continuing to be exerted upon the gripping strip
the cylindrical body rolls inside out thereby enabling the cylindrical
body to be removed from the pipe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004]These and other features will become more apparent from the
following description in which reference is made to the appended
drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are
not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein:

[0005]FIG. 1 is a side view in section of an apparatus for pressure
testing a plumbing installation.

[0006]FIG. 2 is a side view in section of an alternative design for the
apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

[0007]FIG. 3 is a side view in section of the apparatus of FIG. 2 with the
partially removable plug opened.

[0008]FIG. 4 is a side view in section of the apparatus of FIG. 2 with a
plug inserted into the cylindrical flow channel.

[0009]FIG. 5 is a side view in section of the apparatus of FIG. 2 with the
cylindrical body being rolled out of a pipe.

[0010]FIG. 6 through 8 are side views in section of alternative designs
for the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011]An apparatus for pressure testing a plumbing installation, generally
identified by reference numeral 10, will now be described with reference
to FIG. 1 through 5.

[0012]Structure and Relationship of Parts:

[0013]Referring to FIG. 1, apparatus 10 includes a flexible cylindrical
body 12 having a peripheral sidewall 14, a closed end 16 and an open end
18. A positioning flange 20 extends outwardly from peripheral sidewall 14
at open end 18 to facilitate positioning cylindrical body 12 within an
end of a pipe 21 into which cylindrical body 12 has been inserted. When
inserted into pipe 21, sidewall 14 creates a seal between cylindrical
body 12 and pipe 21. An end wall 22 is positioned at closed end 16. End
wall 22 is curved inwardly where end wall 22 connects to peripheral
sidewall 14, and has an inward cylindrical flow channel 24 closed by a
partially removable plug 26. Plug 26 may be frangible, attached by
adhesive, or may be an insert. A gripping strip 28 is secured to plug 26
and extends through and past open end 18 of cylindrical body 12, such
that when a certain force is exerted upon gripping strip 28, the plug
lifts to open cylindrical flow channel 24. Upon a force continuing to be
exerted upon gripping strip 28, cylindrical body 12 rolls inside out
thereby enabling cylindrical body 12 to be removed from pipe 21. A plug
30 is provided to re-seal cylindrical flow channel 24 if it becomes
necessary to perform another pressure test.

Operation:

[0014]The use of apparatus 10 will now be described with respect to the
embodiment shown in FIG. 2 through 5. Referring to FIG. 1, cylindrical
body 12 is first inserted into pipe 21. Cylindrical body 12 is designed
to be friction fit into pipe 21, and flange 20 provides an additional
stop surface that is butted up against a shoulder in fitting 32. As the
plumbing system, of which pipe 21 and fitting 32 form part of, is
pressure tested, the pressure builds against curved end wall. The curved
surface converts the axial pressure into radial pressure which provides
and additional sealing pressure to cylindrical body 12.

[0015]Referring to FIG. 3, once the pressure test is complete, gripping
strip 28 is pulled to open plug 26 to allow the fluid to escape through
cylindrical flow channel 24. Referring to FIG. 4, if it is necessary to
retest the plumbing installation, plug 30 can be used to block
cylindrical flow channel 24 to allow the testing to reoccur. Referring to
FIG. 5, once the pressure testing is completed, gripping strip 28 is
pulled further to cause cylindrical body 12 to "roll" out of pipe 21,
such that it can be removed. By applying a force at this point, sidewall
14 is collapsed inward, such that it pulls away from pipe 21.

Variations:

[0016]Referring to FIG. 6 through 8, additional designs of end wall 22 are
shown. As can be seen from a comparison of the various embodiments
depicted herein, it is important that end wall 22 meet peripheral
sidewall 14 in a manner that allows body 12 to roll out.

[0017]In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in its
non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included,
but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an
element by the indefinite article "a" does not exclude the possibility
that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly
requires that there be one and only one of the elements.

[0018]The following claims are to be understood to include what is
specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually
equivalent, and what can be obviously substituted. Those skilled in the
art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the
described embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope
of the claims. The illustrated embodiments have been set forth only as
examples and should not be taken as limiting the invention. It is to be
understood that, within the scope of the following claims, the invention
may be practiced other than as specifically illustrated and described.